The Nutty Files
by Nutty
Summary: A normal day at CC Mansion entails almost anything. On this normal day, an American space craft crashes into Vegeta's training room. Inside, Nutty is ready to rock their world. They must be ready for an adventure, unfortunately, unlike any they ever had.
1. Bra Meets Nutty

Bra Meets Nutty  
  
  
  
  
  
The daring Space Captain, Nutty, must endure another tedious day of flying through the artificial light of life in space," Nutty spoke into her wrist- com, doing some homework calculations. NASA had this bright idea to see how a teen could cope in space for a couple weeks. Nutty had to lie her way through the Sanity Tests, but she made it. She was IN SPACE! Whoo hoo!!!  
  
But for all that work, it was still really boring. All she had to do was work with a pencil while mechanical objects checked her health, life signs, and mentality.  
  
"What mentality?", she muttered, forgetting the wrist-com was on.  
  
She hated being hooked up to machines... reminded her of another person, another life. But it was part of the requirements of going forth into the journey of knowledge.  
  
"Knowledge ha!", she said again, the wrist-com recording every word. "More like another ad for money."  
  
NASA had slowly lost funding as the public interest died down, so every little part counted. Sending a normal, non-trained (well, partially) person into space with a forty billion dollar space craft was big money.  
  
"And I don't even get HALF of that money...", the poor wrist-com wasn't getting entire thoughts, but what the hey, no one but Nutty was going to listen to it play back anyway.  
  
Switching on some Pink Floyd, she continued to work on Einstein's theory of relativity.  
  
"Note to self: Never just disappear and give Kara access to my energy..." Nutty turned from the equations that she loved, and turned to the homework she hated. Now THERE was a definite waste of energy. Algebra was so easy, she barely had to give a Newton of thought to do it.  
  
"Second note to self: Kill Mom for suggesting homework as a good thing to do on a boring trip..."  
  
All of a sudden, a voice came over the NASA Headquarters intercom.  
  
"Miss Nutty, we regret to inform you that you are about to die."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"You are prematurely entering the atmosphere. I am SO sorry."  
  
"Well, I am too!"  
  
A soft beep ended the transmission.  
  
"@&*%$&#@^*&^*&^!%*%$&*^(%&)#(&", Nutty unknowingly recorded into the wrist- com.  
  
"This is NOT how I imagined death... something a little more honorable would be preferred for the daring space captain...." she muttered while she dug through a small duffel bag she had smuggled on.  
  
Nearby a small screen came on, showing the entire US grieving for her.  
  
"I'm not even dead yet dumb-ass country!", she banged her head on the screen.  
  
Suddenly an idea popped into her head, "Hey... maybe I'm over a body of water!!", she looked out the window and saw ground rushing toward her.  
  
She continued banging her head on the screen. The capsule began to shake violently. Items were thrown about. Nutty couldn't stand straight as she reentered the atmosphere.  
  
She was flung about violently until her head met with the corner of the intercom. The last thing she saw was blood, dripping from her forehead. Then it all went black.  
  
  
  
  
  
Vegeta was training furiously in the gravity room. Punch, punch, punch, KICK!! He was in heaven since Bulma installed that new shadow device which allowed you to fight a hologram of yourself.  
  
The warning light went off. Someone was either waiting to use the gravity room, or wanted to talk to him. He would make them wait a bit longer. The warning indicator went off again.  
  
With a growl, he hovered to the ground, turned off the gravity, and opened the door. He was relieved that it wasn't someone who wanted to use the gravity room. He was happy on his own.  
  
It was his charming, blue-haired, young, daughter; Bra.  
  
"Daddy, Pan and I just got back from the mall. I wanted your opinion on how this looked.", Bra held the brightly colored material up to herself and whirled.  
  
"It looks great. Now leave me alone.", he grunted, prepared to go back into the gravity room.  
  
With a bright flash of light, the gravity room exploded. Bra huddled behind her father who was covering his eyes. For a moment he couldn't think. Then the anger came.  
  
In the middle of his cherished gravity room, WITH NEW INSTALLMENTS NONE THE LESS, was what looked like a space capsule, like the ones that they used in America.  
  
Walking through the smoldering ash which was once his pride and joy, he came upon the capsule, ripping the hatch off of it. He was about to blast whatever was enclosed in it when his daughter came jumping behind him.  
  
"Daddy! Let's see if they are alive BEFORE you blast them..." Vegeta grudgingly agreed and let his daughter look around inside.  
  
"Yup, there's someTHING alive in here...." Bra came out hauling a feminine figure over her shoulder.  
  
She held up her hand before her father could power up enough to shoot the alien. "Daddy!" She admonished.  
  
"You might not want to touch it... It's bleeding." Vegeta pointed out.  
  
Bra looked down at 'it' and saw the blood seeping from a cut in her forehead. "Daddy.... if the capsule is from America, and we are assuming she is as well, shouldn't we also assume she's human?"  
  
"That's even worse than what I originally thought she was..." Bra gave him a weird look and moved the person to a guest room.  
  
  
  
  
  
"OH SHIT WHERE AM I?" asked Nutty, shooting straight up from her inert position on a soft bed.  
  
"Huh?" came from across the room as the girl sitting in the chair sat up. "Oh, you're up."  
  
"Yeah, I'm up." Nutty said, accidentally answering in Japanese, the same language the girl used.  
  
"I thought you were American."  
  
"I am."  
  
"Then why did you answer in Japanese?"  
  
"It's a second language."  
  
"Do Americans use sentences longer than four words?"  
  
"Usually..."  
  
"Wow!"  
  
The two girls continued the conversation comparing countries. (in Japanese considering that Bra didn't know American!)  
  
The door creaked open, and Trunks head popped in.  
  
"Hey Sis! Can I borrow your new lap top?"  
  
"Why?" Bra asked suspiciously. She became even more suspicious when Trunks expression became sheepish.  
  
"Not again! How can you keep blowing up computers?"  
  
"It's not my fault! I get so frustrated, and I can't seem to keep my ki away from my fingertips, I want to blow it up so- Um, Bra? Who's she?"  
  
"Oh cripes! Um....This is Nutty. She just dropped in..."  
  
"Literally," Nutty said for the first time since the young man entered the room.  
  
"Oh, one of those cases, huh? Well, enjoy your stay, humanoid," and Trunks proceeded to leave the room, toting his sister's computer.  
  
"Who was that?" Nutty asked, turning back to Bra.  
  
"Oh, that was just my older brother, Trunks. You don't have a crush on him, do you?"  
  
"NO! Why do you ask?"  
  
" Because almost everyone else does, including my other friends..."  
  
"Well, I have this thing about dating my friends brothers..."  
  
"That's good. HEY!" An idea came into Bra's head. "Want to go shopping?"  
  
Nutty knew there was going to be trouble when that light came into a girl's eyes....  
  
  
  
  
  
And of course, she was right. As soon as they walked into the mall, the shop-a-holic decided to go into the most expensive shop on the continent. After trying on each and every piece of clothing in the store, she decided on the three most costly outfits (credit cards accepted, of course ) and convinced Nutty to buy one of the cheapest (and it still depleted her funds to an extreme).  
  
Well all that shopping must of plum tuckered out Bra, so she decided that they needed to take a break and eat something (at the most expensive restaurant, OF COURSE). There the saiya-jin ate.... like a saiya-jin, shocking her guest to an extreme. Bra's host was just as shocked, and angry, when he discovered the friends who had just cleared his buffet table, only had credit cards on them (which were not so accepted...). They spent a couple HOURS washing dishes.  
  
"Well, how was I supposed to know I'd left all my cash on the dresser?"  
  
"You only had a credit card on you! How could you NOT KNOW?!"  
  
"Well..... I didn't look?"  
  
"YOU DIDN'T LOOK?! Wouldn't the cash have been right next to the credit card?"  
  
"Um.... maybe?"  
  
Nutty just glared at Bra and continued scrubbing the particle of food super- glued to the plate she was trying to wash.  
  
  
  
  
  
"After all those dishes, you definitely owe me these..." Nutty said, holding up a pair of geeky, round, black sun glasses.  
  
"But they're so.... so..."  
  
"Cool? Hip? Completely awesome?"  
  
"Not quite my choice of words..."  
  
"Well, I like them. And they are REALLY cheap. Come on! You owe me! And you still have all those dumb credit cards..."  
  
"Um... I dunno..."  
  
"Please??? You're brother will absolutely hate them."  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
  
  
  
  
Bra and Nutty walked into Capsule Corp. Mansion. Bra was hiding her head. She didn't want to be seen with Nutty while she was wearing those geeky glasses. Who would?  
  
"Is that popular in America?", Bra asked, pointing to the glasses setting on the bridge of Nutty's nose.  
  
"Not really...", Nutty grinned from ear to ear.  
  
"Than why do you want to wear them?"  
  
"Well... I dunno. They're weird, different, and something that you will see on almost no one else. And they were cheap."  
  
Bra put her head down in defeat.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey Goten." Bra said, walking past. Then she did a double take, "GOTEN?!"  
  
"Hi to you too, Bra." Goten said, amused. She hadn't even noticed her brother walking along with the guy. "Who's your friend?"  
  
Bra glared at Nutty, like the dude paying attention to her was all Nutty's fault. "This is Nutty... she's from the US."  
  
"You mean she's not from Outer Space?!" Trunks asked, looking at the person in question's face.  
  
"You make that sound like it's a bad thing," Nutty said, grinning.  
  
"Nice glasses," Goten commented as he dragged a sputtering Trunks away ("They look awful... geeky....").  
  
Bra glared at Nutty again.  
  
"What?"  
  
Bra just shook her head and dragged Nutty into her bedroom.  
  
"Okay, what's up?"  
  
"I like Goten. In fact, I think I'm in love with him."  
  
"That buzz cut wearing freak?"  
  
"HEY! He complimented you on those glasses..."  
  
"I think his intelligence was flying out the window at the moment. But no, really... you'd make a cute couple."  
  
"You think so?" Bra's eyes lost the angry glitter and took on a dull dreamy look.  
  
A couple seconds went by, and the blue eyes lost their dreamy look.  
  
"So who do you like? Tell tell tell!"  
  
, wondering. How many boys could she possibly like anyway?  
  
All of a sudden, Nutty stopped thinking and said, "None."  
  
Bra just fell over in exasperation, "Are you serious?"  
  
"Yeah... why?", Nutty curled her legs up to her body.  
  
"Not one?"  
  
Nutty thought again, "Nope..."  
  
"Not one, insy, winsy, little crush?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"You ARE as weird as you say you are..."  
  
"I know... isn't it great!?"  
  
Bra rolled her eyes and smacked her forehead. "What am I going to do with you?"  
  
"Do anything you like, but please don't give me to the aliens."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well, I figured aliens were a regular occurrence around here, so... I just don't want to be handed over to them for probing or whatever it is aliens do."  
  
"I AM AN ALIEN!"  
  
Nutty's eyes practically popped out of her head. "DON'T EAT ME PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAASE!  
  
"Saiya-jin's don't eat people... well, at least half-saiya-jins don't. I don't like raw meat any more than a normal human does."  
  
"What a relief. What's a Saiya-jin?"  
  
Bra continued on into what a Saiya-jin was, what had happened since Goku had been born, basically her family history. (It took FOREVER, so I am not going to state all of that. You're just gonna have to figure it out :P)  
  
Goten walked in to find Bra out of breath from telling an entire story within 1 1/2 lines.  
  
"Whoa... you okay?" Goten walked over an patted Bra's slender back while she coughed, trying to get her breath back.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine... once the stupid narrator stops making this so HARD!" she growled at the narrator. (HEY! WHO SAID YOU CAN TALK TO ME? I'M NOT EVEN REALLY PART OF THIS STORY!)  
  
"Alright, just checking. Trunks wants to know if he can borrow a case of disks."  
  
"An entire CASE? What are you going to do with all that memory?" Nutty asked.  
  
Goten looked nervous. "Um... that's classified information."  
  
"Which branch?" Nutty asked impatiently.  
  
"Huh?" Goten and Bra looked at her strangely.  
  
"Never mind. ANYways, what are you doing?"  
  
"Do I have to say?"  
  
"If you want those disks you have to." Bra growled at him fiercely.  
  
"Uh... maybe you should come see. I can't really explain it as good as Trunks..." The girls followed Goten down the halls into Trunks room. Bra set the disks inside the doorway of the darkened room and walked in, watching the computer screen in front of her brother without blinking.  
  
"You're continuing Mom's research on Cybernetics."  
  
"Yup.... VERY high tech. DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Bra had been reaching for a silver ball sitting next to the keyboard, but Trunks startled her into pulling her hand back. Her fingers must have gotten close enough to startle whatever it was, because two small, cartoon looking eyes opened and studied Bra laughingly.  
  
"Meet Idgit."  
  
When Bra gave him a weird look, Trunks shrugged and said, "Goten named it."  
  
Nutty wasn't paying attention to the computer language the brother and sister were sharing. She was wondering what the heck the thing was. She bent down and looked it blue eye to steel eye. Then she started poking it. A reasonable way to find out what it was made of, but for some reason it took offense to it.  
  
The Idgit bit down on her index finger with a toothless mouth. Nutty began panicking. She tried to shake the creature off, her eyes as wide as saucers, but it stuck fast. This made our daring space captain go into hysteria even more, and she started running around the room, trying to get the dumb thing off her.  
  
"Getitoffgetitoffgetitoffgetitoff!" she yelled as she banged it against a nearby wall (what a convenient weapon...). Finally the rest of the room realize what was going on between the cyborg and human.  
  
"THAT'S SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT YOU'RE BEATING ON!!!" Roared Trunks, grabbing the Idgit from the wall and pressing a button on its head. The mouth once again became invisible and the eyes closed, releasing Nutty from the Chinese finger trap. The Cyborg remained unscaved, but Nutty had tiny bite marks going totally around the end of her pointer finger.  
  
"Sensitive my butt..." She muttered, but the glare Trunks sent her kept her silent. He cradled the silver ball in his arms like a child, and set it gently back in the clearing of chaos (aka: His desk) .  
  
"Okay, so explain to me again the point of having the personality chip?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"I HATE IDGIT!!!" rang through the house.  
  
"Looks like Veggie-chan met Idgit." commented Nutty to Bra.  
  
Bra just nodded in agreement.  
  
  
  
  
  
With that, Nutty, our daring space captain, was permanently left in the care of the Briefs family; atleast until someone from America could identify her.  
  
Fin~ 


	2. Nutty Meets Her Match

"Nutty, you HAVE to go to school. You've only been here a week, and already you've driven Vegeta to the tv. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO FORCE HIM TO WATCH TELEVISION? All he wants to do is eat, sleep, and TRAIN. And you've driven him from all of the above. I mean... you follow him everywhere with incessant questions.... give the guy a break. I never thought I'd say that..." Bulma lectured, her blue eyes focused on the man she could barely see through the doorway between the dining room and the living room. Vegeta's eyes were glued to the football game, a beer in his hand. The only thing wrong with that picture was, Vegeta was unlikely to EVER have a pot belly... While they watched, one of the players fumbled the ball, and Vegeta crushed the can in his fist and yelled at the screen. Nutty shivered when she saw what was left of the can.  
  
"I see what you mean. But do I really have to go to school? I'm 15... can't I get a job or something?" grey eyes whined at blue.  
  
" Um... NO. You'd be pretty lonely without anyone your age to hang with anyway. I think you'll go to school with Bra and Trunks."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Nope. I'll enroll you ASAP."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Don't worry about it Nutty. Orange Star isn't all that bad, I swear. And everyone's really nice, I PROMISE." Bra reassured Nutty on the way to school. Famous last words. Nutty stood next to the teacher's desk in Geometry class, her first period. She looked around the room, waiting for someone to tell her her assigned seat. Nutty noticed that there was a couple huge kids, and one looked really mean... "Ms. Nutty Bizarre. Please sit next to Marron. Raise your hand Marron."  
  
A blond girl in the front row rose her hand. She didn't even raise it above her chin, and her expression was not one that you could call eager.  
  
Nutty scooted into the seat next to Marron. "Hi."  
  
"Hello." She wasn't into making friends. Nutty turned away and listened to Mr. Guchi start a lecture. He wasn't very interesting, so it took quite a bit of her concentration just to keep her thoughts on him. So much, that when he started asking questions, she didn't stop herself from correcting everyone who got one wrong. Including one of the bigger guys...  
  
"Thanks you Ms. Bizarre. Sherman, I believe you need to either learn to read or learn to listen. Your choice." Everyone in the class giggled.  
  
Sherman face turned red, and when he turned to look at Nutty, his face was anything BUT friendly.  
  
He lived up to the promise in those hate filled brown eyes too. At the end of class, he was outside the door.  
  
As soon as Nutty stepped through the doorway, she was lifted three feet off the ground by her shirt.  
  
"So you think you can make a fool of Sherman, huh?", he growled in her face.  
  
"Well, if you're stupid enough to let me outsmart you, then... yeah.", Nutty's glasses glittered in the light as a slight smirk crossed her face.  
  
"Why I aughta...", Sherman drew his free hand back to hit her.  
  
Right then, a guy with dark brown hair and blue eyes, about half the size of Sherman (in other words 5'9 and average) pulled Nutty away and grabbed Sherman's fist, "Excuse you. It's not polite to hit a lady."  
  
Sherman began to shake with anger. He was about to break the smaller guy's jaw into a hundred pieces. Thankfully Mr. Dunbar, the school's principal appeared around the corner.  
  
"Sherman.", the principal motioned for him to come over.  
  
He left. Nutty and the boy were left alone in the hall.  
  
Nutty slapped the guy across the face, "Jerk. I could have handled that on my own!"  
  
"How? By getting the crap beat out of you?", the guy responded in a short, tempered voice.  
  
"Well... uh... I... um... yeah... uh...", Nutty stuttered, "I could have just kicked him in the nuts!"  
  
The guy gave her a strange look and backed off a step. Nutty wrinkled her nose and grumbled. The warning bell rang out and both teens ran in opposite directions to make it to their next class.  
  
Bra met Nutty halfway to their next class, "Are you okay? I heard that Sherman was on your case."  
  
"Yeah...well... some kid helped me.", Nutty put her head down and stared at her feet while walking.  
  
"Who was it? What did he look like? Maybe I know him.", Bra suggested.  
  
"See that kid down the hall... The one in the school uniform!", Nutty pointed to a group of boys entering a classroom.  
  
"WHICH guy in a school uniform?", Bra prodded, a sweatdrop adorning her forehead.  
  
"That one!", Nutty still pointed.  
  
"They're ALL wearing school uniforms. Point out a DIFFERENT feature!", Bra yelled.  
  
"The one with the cool book bag!", Nutty waved her arm up and down, drawing attention.  
  
"You mean TACKY book bag.", Bra covered her face in embarrassment.  
  
"Who is he? He's so ADORABLE!", Nutty's eyes became as big as saucers.  
  
"I'll give you that much, but he's GOT to be the geekiest guy in this entire school!", Bra's face faltered.  
  
"Absolutely perfect for the WORLD's geekiest girl!!", Nutty chimed happily.  
  
"Nutty... shut up... PLEASE!!!!!!", Bra was ready to walk away.  
  
Just then, Marron walked by, "Hey B-chan. Your little friend embarrassing you? Come on . I'll walk with you."  
  
Bra could see that Nutty was glaring through her glasses, "Um... it's all right Marron-chan. I'll meet you after school. Kay?"  
  
Marron just hmphed and walked off. Nutty stared after her wordlessly.  
  
Bra cleared her throat, "Don't you even want to know his name? huh huh?"  
  
Nutty turned toward her, "Of course. Who is he?"  
  
"That was Chris.", Bra said in a whisper.  
  
"Chris... hmm... that's not Japanese...", Nutty mumbled out loud.  
  
"Yeah, he's a foreign exchange student from America.", Bra started walking down the hall slowly.  
  
"That explains that. Where did he get such a cool book bag though? Don't you have to get it from the school?", Nutty followed along.  
  
"Normally... he takes extra classes and carries around more books, so the school made him buy his own. It was the only one at the store that was big enough to fit all his things in AND that he liked.", Bra turned the corner, into the classroom.  
  
"Extra classes? Wow... I was doing that in America for a while... I had to quit when I joined the space program though...", Nutty said thoughtfully as she sat in the seat next to Bra.  
  
  
  
  
  
The first day of school was nearly over. Nutty was glad. She was sick of being insulted. She wasn't worried, though. She'd get them ALL back and soon enough.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when she ran into someone taller than herself, "HEY! Watch where you're going! You got in my way!"  
  
"I got in YOUR way?! Well, I'm so very sorry your highness. I didn't know royalty attended this school!", the guy dried his water drenched face off with his sleeve and stepped away from the water fountain.  
  
"YOU?!", Nutty yelled, pointing at him, "What are you doing? Following me?!"  
  
"Why would I follow someone as disagreeable as you? Besides, I'm the one who got my face dunked in the fountain. What was the point of that, some weird revenge?"  
  
Nutty looked at his face, and even though it was wet her thoughts were making her blush... "No, that wasn't the original purpose.. although I will have to remember that next time..."  
  
"Why is it all the pretty girls are sadistic?" Chris rolled his eyes and started to walk away, but he was stopped by a claw on his arm.  
  
"Did you just say I was pretty, punk?", luckily he couldn't see through the evil stare she threw at him.  
  
He looked the other way to hide the blush, "Yeah, what's it to ya?"  
  
Nutty began to cuss in English.  
  
"You speak English?", he pulled his arm out of her grasp and examined it, "Hey, you brat! I'm bleeding!"  
  
"Whoops... you deserved it!", Nutty yelled in English.  
  
Several of the students stopped to gawk. They couldn't understand the pair, but they could identify a fight. Soon the principal pulled the pair to the side and started cussing at them in Japanese, which all of the students COULD understand.  
  
Nutty just stood there wincing at the tone of the principals voice.  
  
"You have been the center of all the trouble at Orange Star High since you arrived. Young lady, you are suspen-", the principal scolded.  
  
Chris cut him off, "It wasn't her fault. I started the fight."  
  
"Mr. Miller... I'm astounded. This school's best student?", principal Dunbar looked toward Chris stunned.  
  
"We can't have you being suspended, so another, less harmful punishment will have to do. You will have to tutor Ms. Bizarre for the next week."  
  
Nutty's mouth dropped open.  
  
"Sir... please... no... she'll kill me before the week is over! I beg you! Have mercy!", Chris dropped to his knees.  
  
Principal Dunbar just shook his head and walked away. It looked as though Chris was stuck.  
  
Chris stood up and turned to Nutty who's mouth was still open as wide as humanly possible, "I hope you're happy..."  
  
"You JERK!"  
  
"What did I do THIS time?!"  
  
Nutty dropped her head, "I was TRYING to get kicked out of school..."  
  
"Why would you want to do that?", Chris stared at her, a determined look in his eyes.  
  
"I was having so much fun annoying Veggie-chan plus this was going to be an escape from the homework I had to do back in America. I had to make up for everything I missed while in the space program...", she grumbled.  
  
"Space program...", he said sarcastically.  
  
"I'll explain over our first study session... your place at 6:00?"  
  
"Why mine?"  
  
"Because I currently reside in the Briefs residence... I don't think Veggie, Trunks, or Bra would appreciate it.", Nutty smirked.  
  
"Um... okay... but don't you have to KNOW where I live first of all?", Chris jammed his hands into his pockets.  
  
"That always does help and we might as well make the best of it.", she snorted.  
  
He borrowed a pen from a friend and wrote the directions to his house and his phone # on her arm. On returning the pen, they found out that it was permanent ink. The owner of the pen was immediately kicked in the balls by unmentioned parties.  
  
  
  
  
  
Nutty arrived at Chris's house at the appointed time.  
  
Without even knocking, she let herself in. By the looks of it, Chris lived by himself. His house was a mess. Clothes, paper, and everything else imaginable plastered the room.  
  
All of a sudden, Chris came down the stairs in nothing but a pair of blue, striped boxers. When he noticed her at the bottom of the stairwell, gawking, he gulped and ran upstairs, his whole body slowly turning a bright red.  
  
Nutty began blushing, slowly slipping her glasses on to hide it. She moved some of the junk off the couch and sat down. After several minutes, Chris came down with a pair of blue jeans and a hastily put on shirt. He stood in front of her. She sat calmly on the sofa, staring up into his angry eyes.  
  
"What gives you the right to just barge in here and... and...", he was so mad he couldn't speak.  
  
"... and sit on your couch?", Nutty smiled innocently up as she suggested, "I thought I was supposed to be here at 6:00...", she pouted sweetly.  
  
A sweat drop slowly formed at the back of his head. He sat in the chair opposite her, "You can A.) explain yourself, and B.) study. Take your pick."  
  
"Well...", she began.  
  
  
  
  
  
Three hours later, Nutty finished her story. Chris looked at her strangely. (It's pretty bad when you're so weird that weird people look at you strangely.)  
  
"You're kidding... That has got to be the most original fabrication anyone has ever come up with.", Chris stared at her.  
  
"Not at all... you can ask anyone who was there... the Brief's family...", Nutty looked on with seriousness.  
  
Chris gulped and leaned back on the couch for support, "So you're telling me that your space capsule... was the one on the news last week...?"  
  
Nutty nodded, her hands clasped in her lap. Chris just stared for a minute.  
  
Finally, he shook his head and cleared his throat, "Well... that can't possibly be stranger than saiya-jins on Earth..."  
  
"You know about saiya-jins? But... how?", Nutty looked up in question.  
  
"Everyone in Japan in the last few years knows. You know how about seven years ago there was a chance that the world was about to end and scientists couldn't figure it out in America? The world would have been gone had it not been for Vegeta and Gokuu.", Chris shook his head.  
  
"I told them it was aliens...", Nutty said thoughtfully.  
  
Chris again looked at her strangely, "Right... you know, we should probably start our homework before it gets too late."  
  
"Um... yeah...", Nutty pulled a history book out of her briefcase and opened it up to page 347 and started to read.  
  
  
  
  
  
Around eleven o'clock Nutty was done with all of her homework and waiting for Chris to finish so they could compare answers. She began to drift off while waiting.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chris paused in mid answer on his homework. He looked over to where Nutty was sitting...  
  
Nutty was asleep. He looked over at her papers. Her homework was done... How long had she been sleeping?  
  
He picked up the phone and a phone book. Capsule Corp. Mansion sure had a lot of phone #s. He found Bra's personal line and dialed the #. The phone rang once... twice...  
  
"Hello?", a tired voice asked from the other end of the line.  
  
"Um... Bra-san? This is Chris Miller... Nutty was... um... over hear to study... and um... well... she kinda... fell asleep... could you... um... maybe come over and pick her up or something...?", Chris glanced over to where Nutty was sleeping and began to blush at his own thoughts.  
  
"Arg... can't she just sleep over there? It's 3:00 in the morning for Kami's sake!", Bra growled from the other end.  
  
"Um.. yeah... sure... thanks.... I think...", he hung up and grumbled.  
  
...Now what? He thought as he stood there, staring at her sleeping figure. He blushed at his own thoughts (which he was merely noticing how cute she seemed just sleeping there) and started to clean the other junk off the couch so he could let Nutty stretch out.  
  
After forcing himself to move her, he turned out the lamp in the living room and headed upstairs to get ready for bed.  
  
  
  
  
  
Unfortunately, he couldn't sleep. He felt incredibly strange with someone else in his house.  
  
  
  
  
  
The morning came, and the rays of light came (somehow) streaming through Chris's window. "Aw...man..." He slowly rolled out of bed and fell over, landing on an old shoe. "OW!" He slowly stood up, staggering around like some drunk. His hair was scattered about his head in a discombobulated mess. He walked out into the hallway, hearing what seemed to be water running. He then began to wonder if he left the sink running the night before. Heading to the bathroom (which seemed to be the origin of the noise), he slowly opened the door to find a silouetted feminine figure reflected in the mirror on the vanity.  
  
It was Nutty.  
  
Oh, SHIT! He quickly closed the door and scrambled down the stairs, tripping all the way. He was blushing furiously at the moment, not really sure what to do except run (what else would he do? Sit there and stare? [Probably. Most likely. In fact, why didn't he?]) He headed towards the kitchen sink to wash his hair with Joy dishwashing soap. Why? That was the only bathroom in the house, and he obviously didn't have access to it. Although....  
  
Never mind.  
  
  
  
After finishing, he picked up a dirty bowl from the other side of the sink, washed it out, and fixed breakfast (which simply consisted of cheetos in a bowl of milk [and a spoon]).  
  
Moments later, a wet-headed Nutty walked down the stairs wrapped in a towel.  
  
"Would you li--" Chris started, then turned away and blushed as he noticed her apparel. Ooooh....Kinky!! He thought as he forced himself from taking another look.  
  
"Hmm? Oh...!!" She was too used to doing that on the ship... "Heey! Dork! What am I doing here, anyway?!? Are you some part of a communist conspiracy that's decided to kidnap me or something?!? You claim you're a foreign exchange student and all, but why are you living alone? Hmm?!?" She walked right up to him and got in his face. "No normal exchange student lives alone. Are you a spy or something, preying on a helpless space captain and using her for research? Just like the UNITED STATES?!? Do you know how sick of that I am?!"  
  
"...Helpless?" He glanced down once. Twice.  
  
She backed away and brought her hand back to slap him. "Why you...Jerk! Were you listening to me at all?!? Or were you just-- just-- Oh, ZAKKENAYO, okay?!?"  
  
"Only if it's with you." He smirked.  
  
"NANI YO JIGOKU?!? YOU PERV!!" She dashed back up the stairs and slammed the bathroom door.  
  
Chris stood there in silence, his hair still dripping. "Whoa.." He said to himself.  
  
  
  
  
  
Later that day at school, Nutty sat at her desk trying to pay attention to Mr. Guchi's boring lecture. Sherman kept sending evil stares towards her direction, but she ignored them as best as she could. Marron ignored her, but she didn't really care anyway. Bra seemed to be totally immersed in writing something. Probably a note to Goten or whatever, she thought to herself.  
  
Suddenly, something rather unexpected happened. Mr. Guchi drew a baseball onto the overhead holo-projector and grabbed a 200-year old corporal punishment board from the wall. Or maybe it was a cricket bat... In any case, he took the board and whacked the hologram, making a fake cracking noise. The point? To get the class' attention. Sherman simply yawned, as did Marron. Bra looked up, and then went back to writing. Nutty just sat there, intrigued at such stupid behavior from a teacher (and the students, which was expected). Unfortunately, she realized how much alike Marron and Sherman were. She nearly shuddered at the thought.  
  
Class came and went, and Bra stopped by Nutty's desk and handed her a note.  
  
So this was what she was writing.... She stood up and walked to her next class. Sherman, as usual, was "waiting" for her.  
  
"So... How come you didn't correct me today?"  
  
"Well, you actually got something right for once in your god-forsaken life, old buddy old pal..." She slapped him on the back and walked in the opposite direction in a rather quick-paced manner.  
  
He dashed after her (well, sorta in a crowded hall), anger burning in his eyes.  
  
Somehow, Nutty managed to slip through the crowds with ease, which was much to her advantage. She walked into her Language Arts class just as the bell rang; her teacher, Mrs. Haruna, closed the door behind her just as Sherman was getting near the door.  
  
"You're tardy, Miss Bizarre. Explanation?" She seemed to spit out the last word as if it were some bad-tasting morsel of food.  
  
"Uhh... Umm... It's only my second day here, and I had a little trouble finding your classroom..."  
  
Miss Haruna gave her an unbelieving look (a.k.a. "The Evil Teacher Glare") "Well, whatever your excuse is, sit down. This is the last time I'll let you go."  
  
Nutty sat down at her desk and proceeded to open the note. Unfortunately, Mrs. Haruna started the word study in latin.  
  
"Today," she started, "we will be studying numbers in Latin. Repeat after me: Uno."  
  
"Uno." The class lethargically responded.  
  
"Duo."  
  
"Duo."  
  
"Tres."  
  
"Tres."  
  
"Quatro."  
  
"Quatro."  
  
"Quinque." Unfortunately, she pronounced it "kinky."  
  
"Quinque."  
  
"Sex."  
  
Half of the class replied "sex." The other half started snickering.  
  
She gave the class an odd look, then thought on how she had pronounced "quinque." Then, realizing what she had done, she cleared her throat (blushing, by the way) and addressed the class. "Settle down, children! My apologies for mispronouncing that. That's all we will study for today..."  
  
Nutty looked at Mrs. Haruna as if she were a complete and total idiot. Man! She was no where near the correct pronunciation! She was quickly becoming bored.  
  
Slowly, she pulled the note from Bra out of her binder and quietly unfolded it.  
  
Nutty,  
  
I was wondering what you and Chris did last night? Come on. You know something happened. You were there the whole night. Write me a note or tell me in our next class. K? Cya.  
  
Bra  
  
  
  
Nutty sat there a moment staring at the note in disbelief. She couldn't believe Bra would even think something as horendous... as...  
  
At that moment, Mrs. Haruna walked by, and seeing Nutty reading the note, took it and glanced it over, "Class, it seems that Ms. Bizzare, here, has recieved a note from a friend that goes like this..."  
  
She read the note out loud for the whole class who broke into uncontrollable giggles. Nutty stared at her desk, her fists balled up so hard that it drew blood.  
  
On the way out of the classroom, several students mocked her, all conjuring up similar images. Marron, hearing about it from some friends had the nerve to come up to her.  
  
"I see you've had a little fun last night. Tell me, what exactly happened?", Marron smirked nastily.  
  
Nutty smiled sweetly, "Oh, nothing much. We discussed how Mrs. Haruna is an alien who spends her free time disecting students, and I accused him of being a part of the communist conspiracy, and we talked about how I arrived here, as well as doing a little homework. That's about all."  
  
Marron gave her a disgusted look, and with a hmph, she walked off. Nutty beamed with pride at how she had handled the situation.  
  
Begining to walk away from the situation, she was suddenly grabbed by the arm from behind. She was about to kick backwards, but then she thought that it might be a teacher. She spun around to see who it was.  
  
Chris was standing there, grasping her forearm with a look that would make anyone want to shrivel up and die, "You've heard what people have said... and I think you're the source of those rumors. Now I'd like a clean confession."  
  
"Well, Bra wrote this note and gave it to me, and Mrs. Haruna found it and read it outloud to the class... and then the tv reporters found out about it and decided to broadcast it over world new.", Nutty said with a dryness of sarcasm.  
  
"Oh... I see. Little Ms. Popularity got some strange idea from me calling her last night...", as Chris mentioned.  
  
"You called Bra?", Nutty asked incrediously.  
  
"Well, yeah. If you remember, you weren't exactly supposed to spend the night.", Chris shook his head at how incredibly stupid she could act at times.  
  
It often made him wonder if she was doing it on purpose.  
  
"Great... now I'm stuck between the school's most popular girl, biggest bully, and geekiest geek. ARG!", she pulled her arm away and ran off.  
  
School wasn't over, but she left for the Brief's residence anyway. She couldn't take any more of the other kids mocking her or Chris's comments. 


	3. Prom Night

Prom Night  
  
Nutty was laying on her bed, reading one of her favorite comics when Bra suddenly popped through the door squeeling, "NUTTY! NUTTY! I NEED YOUR OPINION!! AGHHHHH!"  
  
Nutty was thrown off her bed as Bra jumped on it excitedly. Nutty waited until her teenage friend exumed an aire of calmness.  
  
"What is it this time?", she grumbled, snapping her comic from off the floor.  
  
"Three of the most popular guys in school asked me out to the dance and I can't decide who to go with; Kayowai, or Kootai, or Bujoku!", Bra waved her arms in emphesis.  
  
"Hmmm... yes, I forgot that was coming up. Why don't you ask Goten?", Nutty raised an eyebrow.  
  
Stars could be seen growing in Bra's eyes as she ran off, excitedly, to find Goten. Nutty layed back on her bed in contemplation. She didn't have a date either at the moment... Well, not like she would go, anyway.  
  
As if answering her thoughts, her phone began to ring. She picked up the reciever.  
  
"Moshimoshi?",On hearing the voice on the other end, she dropped the phone.  
  
Quickly recovering it, she listened carefully.  
  
"Hey Nutty... Um... It's me, Chris. I was, uh... wondering if... uh... you would go to the dance... with me?", Chris's voice was shakey.  
  
"After today at school?! You've got to be kidding!!", her anger was growing rapidly.  
  
"I was prepared for that. I'll pay you $200 and buy your dress..."  
  
Nutty thought he sounded like the bargaining type, "Only $200?"  
  
"Fine, fine... $250...",  
  
"Well... I'm not sure...", she knew what kind of things happened on Prom dates.  
  
"Fine! I'll pay for whatever dress you want too!", he was begging like a dog.  
  
Nutty was begining to like the sound of this, "I don't know... well... okay..."  
  
Chris began thanking her... and thanking her... and than- Then Nutty hung up the phone. After a few minutes of waiting in which Chris didn't realize she had hung up, he called back.  
  
"When should I pick you up?", he asked triumphantly.  
  
"With that kind of attitude, never... but for the sake of assigning a time, how about 7:30?", she flopped back on her bed.  
  
"Of course. Also, go ahead and buy your dress and I'll pay for it later.", he sounded more thankful then triumphant now.  
  
"Okay, okay. I'll see you later than..."  
  
As he went into another long thanking period, she again hung up, this time disconnecting her phone line.  
  
  
  
  
  
The night of the prom had come. It was nearing time to go and both Bra and Nutty were running circles trying to get ready.  
  
Bra had asked Goten to go with her and, although he was out of highschool, he accepted graciously, glad to help out his "little sister". It was obvious that those weren't his real motives, but that's not the point.  
  
Both girls were hastefully running amok (as well as into each other) trying to find each and every accessory they needed. Finally, after much trying and disguarding, both girls were ready.  
  
"I'll go see if either of our dates are here, okay?", Bra ran out of the room and peered around the corner or the stair case.  
  
Squeeling quietly, she ran back to the room where Nutty was, "Your date is here! He is SOOOO handsom!!! Who is he? You never told me who you were going with!!"  
  
"Actually, it's Chris.", Nutty watched as Bra did a double take, "Guess that means I better be going."  
  
She walked past Bra, who was fighting with herself about Nutty's date. She walked to the edge of the stair case. This was it.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chris sat on the chair opposite to Vegeta. He was very nervous about the man's thoughtful frown.  
  
"You're here for Bra or Nutty?", Vegeta studdied him cautiously.  
  
"Um... actually, I'm here to pick up Nutty, but-", he was cut off when Vegeta dropped to his knees.  
  
"Promise me, that whatever you do; rape her, kill her, ANYTHING, just DON'T bring her back! If you do, I'll smash your head into the concrete!!", Vegeta growled.  
  
"Y-yes sir!", Chris pressed his back against the chair nervously.  
  
Vegeta stood up and sat back in his chair quietly.  
  
Moments later, Nutty appeared around the corner in her proud manner. She was in a long, black, sleeveless gown with black shoes, gold earings, a gold chain around her neck, a light jacket draped over her arm. Chris couldn't help but look at her in awe. He could barely draw his gaze away as she decended the stairway.  
  
As she reached his side, he offered her his arm. Before she accepted, she gave Vegeta a large, choke-hug (which he didn't much appreciate). With that, she took his arm and they left.  
  
Upon getting into his car, he opened a small, plastic box. Inside was a corsage which he pinned to her dress.  
  
The drive was realatively quiet, except for the sound of the cat which he ran over and the police siren dying in the distance. Finally, arriving at the school, the pair got out of the car and headed in. The dance was aleardy pretty crowded by the time they arrived.  
  
Making an unnoticed entrance and slowly, meaningfully walked toward the refreshment table.  
  
"If you want, you can leave now. You've done what you were supposed...", Chris mumble, fumbling in his wallet for the $250 that he owed her.  
  
"Er... no...", she pushed the money back toward him, "The requirements were that I was to be your date for the dance. Just walking in with you isn't good enough, and what will someone else think if they see me with someone else... or... or..."  
  
He put his finger to her lip, "Shh... someone will hear us and that would end up in an equally disasterous experience. I see your point. Fine. As long as I don't have to spend any more money."  
  
She was amazed at his motives. He would spend all that money to have someone just walk in with him into the dance hall.  
  
The music was just begining. The couples around them were begining to go onto the dance floor and slow dance.  
  
"Um... since we're going to be spending the evening together would you like to dance?", he offered her his hand.  
  
"Of course.", she smiled gently up at him.  
  
A blush crossed his face as he smiled down at her and led her out to the dance floor. He placed his hands around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck and, surprisingly, layed her head on his shoulder.  
  
They would spend the rest of the night, dancing, drinking punch, and talking to friends in each other's presence. In fact, neither one of them seemed to mind. It was a pleasureful night.  
  
  
  
  
  
Much later, it was the end of the last dance of the night and many of the couples had already left. It was Chris and Nutty's turn.  
  
While walking to the car, a rare thought crossed Nutty's mind, "Hey, would you like to call a truce and head to the park for a while?"  
  
"Are YOU admitting to defeat? You?", he gave her a questioning glance.  
  
"NO. I NEVER said that. I asked if you'd like to call it even. I am not wrong.", she eyed him disbelievingly.  
  
"Okay, okay. I guess.", he laughed, pushing his hair out of his face and got into the driver's side.  
  
Nutty having already gotten into the passenger side, they drove to the park.  
  
  
  
  
  
Walking down a path, Chris began laughing.  
  
"What is it now?", Nutty looked at him sarcastically.  
  
"Whoo! I just thought of something. Vegeta plans on crashing my head into concrete if I bring you back.", he continued laughing, in that scared, crazy way.  
  
"I'm glad you find this so humorous. We'll think of something... hmm... could I crash at your place and then go home on my own tomorrow perhaps? I know I've asked so much of you already, but I think that would save you from Vegeta's wrath."  
  
"Sure. It won't hurt our reputation any worse then it already is."  
  
"I promise to make it all up to you."  
  
"What's the point in that? I payed you to come."  
  
"Yeah, well, to tell you the truth, I wasn't planning on going and no one would have asked me, so...", she looked guilty as they sat at a close bench.  
  
He laughed jokingly, "I'm not too surprised."  
  
"Hey!", she punched him lightly in the shoulder, causing him to laugh a little more.  
  
They sat there chatting about trivial matters for a while. She began shivering, although she had her light jacket on. It wasn't enough. He took his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders.  
  
She gave him a look which complained about him giving her his jacket and having nothing himself.  
  
Defensively he put his arms up as in defeat, "Hey, I'm just being gentlemanly!"  
  
She gave him back his jacket, "I'd rather be cold then have you acting with the southern manner!", she layed on a thick Southern-English accent.  
  
He again laughed before standing up, "Well, we better be heading home. It's getting late."  
  
As if on cue, she yawned, "Good idea."  
  
  
  
  
  
Propelling Nutty through the door, Chris took off his jacket and put it on the hook at the side of the door, "You can get ready for bed up in my room. In fact, why don't you take the bed and I'll sleep down here on the couch", he began removing his tie.  
  
"I couldn't do that! I-"  
  
"No if's, and's, or but's. Go, now.", he pointed up the stairs fatherly like while still wrestling with his tie.  
  
"First of all, let me help you with that.", it took her a moment of fighting with him, but she finally got him to let go of the tie for her to undo it properly.  
  
Walking into his kitchen and going through his cabinets, she found chocolate and a pot. Filling the pot with water, she placed it on the stove to heat up.  
  
"Second, would you like some hot chocolate. You've got to be as cold as I am if not colder."  
  
"Actually, I am rather chilly, now that you mention it. I guess we have enough time. I'll start a fire in the livingroom.", he left to throw some logs in the fire place.  
  
She, in the meantime, finished heating the water and mixing in the cocoa and sugar. Carefully ballancing the two cups in her hand left hand, she opened the door and walked into the living room. Chris was almost done with the fire.  
  
She walked over and handed him a cup. As he took a sip, his face turned to one of surprise.  
  
"Did you by any chance poison this? Any drugs by any chance? It tastes different...", he looked at her skeptically.  
  
"Not this time, I'm afraid to confess. You've probably never tried real hot chocolate...", she sipped lightly at the steaming cup she held.  
  
"REAL hot chocolate?", his eyes held an even more curious look than before.  
  
"Yes. This isn't prepackaged shit like you're probably used to. This is straight cocoa, sugar, hot water, and a little, very little mind you, bit of brandy."  
  
"Brandy? In hot cocoa?"  
  
"Yes. It's supposed to warm you quicker.", she mumbled while sitting in a recliner near the fire.  
  
"Ok...", he took his place opposite hers on the love seat and sipped a little more of his, "Will this leave me with a hangover?"  
  
"It's not supposed to, but knowing the way I cook...", she trailed off.  
  
"Oh great...", muttering grumpilly, he stirred the concoction with a spoon.  
  
"Don't be so negative.", she scolded.  
  
"You're practically trying to drug and bed me... what reason do I have to be possitive?"  
  
She began blushing for a moment, "Hey, that was most certainly uncalled for! I thought we called a truce!"  
  
"Fine, fine. Have it your way, dear.", his voice was dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"Arg, MEN!", she slammed her mug down on the nearby coffee table and crossed her arms defiantly.  
  
"Yes, your majesty. That is exactly what I am. Would you care for me to be anything different? I'm sure I could fit into some of your clothes..."  
  
That was the last straw. She threw the mug at him in her deepening rage. Unable to completely dodge it, Chris was hit in the forehead, immediately causing him to pass out. Nutty gasped. Thankfully, he wasn't bleeding, but he was sure as heck going to have a hangover when he woke up, brandy or no.  
  
She brushed the glass off and pulled him into a less slouched possition. She ran into the kitchen and grabbed a dish towel in a hurried attempt to dry off the steaming liquid from his hair and face. She also, in an attempt to clean him up, had to remove his soaked shirt.  
  
Sighing heavily, she lifted him to her shoulder and made a slow, clumbsy effort to get him upstairs and into bed. It took her a while, but she eventually managed the task. She got him into bed, under the covers, and tucked in nice and snug. She also ran downstairs again to grab a badly needed icepack for his head.  
  
After acomplishing all of her "motherly" tasks, she again went back downstairs, grabbing some blankets from a linen closet, to sleep on the couch.  
  
  
  
  
  
[pic] 


	4. Conspiracy Revealed

Conspiracy Revealed  
  
Chris awoke in the morning, when the watery ice pack slid down his chest. With a yelp, he pushed the pack on the floor and swiped the drops of water from his bare chest. His brain seemed to thrumb against the inside of his skull. He wondered if it was a hangover before remembering the cup flying toward his head.  
  
He slipped his feet over the edge of the bed and sat for a while with his head in his hands. The spot on his forehead would deffinately have a showing bruise, he could immediately tell, from the pain. He leaned up and groaned.  
  
He was angry, no doubt. He stood up and grabbed his Orange High uniform from the closet and forcefully dressed, his muscles tensing. After so long... he was so close to getting the information he needed. He stood in front of the mirror to assess himself.  
  
His hair was tousled, and other than the red mark near his hair-line, he looked as good as he normally looked. He ran his fingers through his hair and covered the newly formed bruise with a light brown strand. It was difficult playing the part of a teenager. Though he fit the age, he hadn't been in highschool for the past three years. Skipping grades was hard on a person.  
  
"How could she do this to me?", he growled heading down the stairs.  
  
He strode into the kitchen to grab a muffin and coffee. The dishes from last night were sitting in the drainer drying. Slowly, he pulled a chair back and took a seat at the table with his muffin and coffee to ponder what he should do.  
  
He couldn't very well call up President Johnston and say 'Oh, well gee, we almost got her back. Sorry sir' He took a bite of the muffin angrily. How could he have let this happen. She was right in his grip... and he let her slide away so easily. There had to be some other way.  
  
Losing his appetite, he darted into the living room to grab his coat. On the sofa, however, he found Nutty's disgarded prom dress, the money, the remains of the mug she broke, and a note.  
  
Chris,  
  
I am sorry about last night. I was way out of line. I  
  
don't know what to say... I'm really really sorry. I know  
  
there's no possible way I could ever make this up to you.  
  
I wish I could, but by now, you're already shredding  
  
this note.  
  
--Nutty  
  
  
  
His eyes lit up, but he didn't crumple the note. Instead, he sat next to the black, velvety dress and pondered. Folding the note, written on the back of a receipt, he carefully placed it in his front pocket and headed for school.  
  
It was time he did what he came to do. Getting in his car, he was struck with a twinge of guilt. He had grown to like Nutty very much. It was so sad what he had to do. Her remorse had given him an idea. He could lure her into the trap yet. The government wouldn't be angry with him and they might actually let him live, even after what he had done. He was doing what he was trained to be; a heartless assassin.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, come on. I've never seen you depressed Nutty. Never.", Bra chided, hoping to cheer her friend.  
  
"I feel foolish. I mean, I even accused him of being associated with the US government.", Nutty looked up sarcastically, "Besides, its nothing new. I just found one more way to screw up."  
  
"Nutty... It's not that bad. He was being a jerk, you handled the situation.", Bra continued, gesturing wildly.  
  
Nutty shook her head, "No... it's not like that... I-", Chris walked by, a face carved of stone.  
  
"See what I mean... Total jerk. Told you he was a nerd.", Bra stuck her nose in the air.  
  
"He's not a jerk or a nerd and he has every right.", Nutty shushed her.  
  
"And I guess that give me every right to do this.", Sherman came behind both of them, ready to hit Nutty.  
  
Rather than running, like she normally did, Nutty turned around, "You know, do you think you could butt out? It's not like a person could have a personal conversation, is it? Every time I look back, you're always behind me, ready to beat the crap out of me. Face it, tough guy, you're not smart enough, fast enough, or good enough. I'm sick of you. I am in a pissy mood, had a bad day, so back off."  
  
Everyone who heard, oohed and ahed; everyone but Sherman. His neck turned red. After a pause, Nutty turned to where Bra was standing in awe. No one had EVER told Sherman down. Nutty walked down the hall.  
  
Sherman, brought back from his bout of speechlessness, shoved past everyone and tackled Nutty, shoving her to the ground. He brought his fist down against her shoulder. She made an attempt to roll over for better possitioning, but was slugged in the cheek. Bra and several other people were yelling. He continued beating her head on the floor. Sherman was about to land another blow when Chris came and bowled him over and off Nutty.  
  
Bra rushed to her side. Sherman was about to come back at Chris, but several students and teachers helped to restrain him. The principal was busy yelling at him.  
  
Chris came over to where Nutty lay, forehead to the floor, pushing herself up slowly. He bent over, pulling her up on her feet. Her head lolled, revealing the welt on her right cheek, and he was having to hold up the most of her body weight as he led her to the nurses office, students staring after them.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are you, stupid?!", Chris was genuinely upset.  
  
Nutty harumphed as Chris squatted in front of her and held an ice pack to her cheek, his slender finger tips grazing her swollen cheek.  
  
Bra walked in and shut the door on the kids trying to get in to see her friend, "Geez, Nutty. Are you okay?", Bra gaped.  
  
Nutty shoved Chris' hand away, "I'm just fine.", her response was curt and dry.  
  
"She's fine.", Chris laughed with disgust, "I warned you about this.", he sat in the nurse's chair, "I told you to stay away from him."  
  
"Oh, and what are we now, mother?", Nutty growled, her shoulders slumped with her recent defeat.  
  
"Okay, cool it you two.", Bra shot with irritation, "Nutty, why'd you do that. That was pointless."  
  
"No it wasn't.", Nutty said simply, her eyes shining up with determination.  
  
In truth, if she hadn't been taken by surprise, she could have easily beat the hulking morron.  
  
"It was pointless, stupid, arrogant, uncharacteristic, and overall degrading to you character, as well as mine.", Chris counted off the reasons.  
  
"How is it degrading to you? You got to be the big hero.", Nutty leaned forward until her shoulder pain kicked in.  
  
Chris slammed his hand against the nurse's desk, "I'm going to be in trouble thanks to you."  
  
Nutty didn't answer, knowing the whole situation was her fault, "Just go away... you too Bra."  
  
"No, I am not leaving.", Chris pushed away from the desk.  
  
"Take care.", Bra frowned as she left the nurses office.  
  
"Well? Can't a person be humiliated in peace?", Nutty sighed.  
  
He smirked, "What, you expect me to leave you alone after that mess?"  
  
"I don't know, maybe you have some bit of wisdom or heart and maybe you just actually care what I think... however unlikely the case?", she tilted her head with exhaustion.  
  
"Completely unlikely after this incident.", he pulled out another ice pack from the tiny freezer.  
  
Walking over, he moved to put it back on her face. She took it before his hand reach her face.  
  
Chris held up his hands deffensively and sat back down. Nutty sighed, waiting for the nurse to return. She put the cold pack to her face, realizing it would have been much nicer with Chris doing it. What a horrible day!!  
  
"I gotta admit, I wouldn't have guts to stand up to that guy myself.", he made a somewhat lousy attempt to make her feel better.  
  
"Did I look like the 98 lb weakling who knocked over a 500 lb bag of lard?", Nutty spat.  
  
He smiled. At least one of them was enjoying this experience. Nutty was feeling a bit of guilt, but primarily depression.  
  
Chris leaned back, "You're the first person I've ever seen, stupid enough to start a fight like that."  
  
"Gee, thanks."  
  
  
  
  
  
"SHE DID WHAT?!", Vegeta's voice resonated through CC.  
  
"Daddy, it's not a big deal...", Bra suggested calmly to her father, "It's no worse than anything you've ever done."  
  
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!", he growled.  
  
He left to train, but not forgetting the subject completely. After much thought, Vegeta found a new place for Nutty, and it wasn't on his hate list.  
  
  
  
  
  
Up in her room, Nutty layed on her bed, cradling her bruised cheek and her bruised ego.  
  
"They're right... It was all my fault... I can't believe I did that. I'm not smart. They tested me wrong...", she mumbled to herself, about in tears.  
  
After a while, the phone rang, and Nutty slowly picked it up, "Moshimishi."  
  
It was Chris, "Are you coming over to study tonight, or must I come over there?"  
  
She huffed lowly, "You still want to study after all that?"  
  
His voice was cold, "Does it look like I have a choice? I'm doing this because the principal said I must, and he keeps a record of it."  
  
Again, she sighed, "I'll be right over..."  
  
He hung up without saying goodbye.  
  
Nutty slipped on her shoes, and drove over in her nightgown.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chris was ready. The gun was hidden in the sofa and everything was in place. He kept trying to hide the twinge of guilt that kept him pacing. He had killed before, but it had never left him with this kind of feeling.  
  
"Well... the show must go on...", he mumbled to himself coldly.  
  
As he muttered to himself, a light tapping came from his door. He walked over and opened it. Outside, stood Nutty. She was wearing a nightgown and light jacket, with her bookbag over her shoulder.  
  
She stood for a moment before he growled, "Are you coming in or not?"  
  
With a jolt, she came into the living room, and sat in the center of the sofa where she normally sat. Shutting the door, and walking across the room, he stopped in front of her for a second assessment. Her face was bruised and her shoulders hung in a demoralized way.  
  
Finally, he just broke out, "Look at you. You're a mess.", she looked up carefully, "You're such an idiot...", he growled.  
  
He turned his back to her and shook his head. Finally, he sat down, and looked back at her. Her eyes were glassy. She was trying not to cry. He tightened his lips.  
  
How could he just sit there and do that. He wanted to stop a moment and gather her broken body into his arms. He didn't allow himself the comfort.  
  
"Why...", her voice broke with sobs, "Why are you forcing me... me to go through this..."  
  
His frown deepened, "You're so sorry... I couldn't help myself.", he spat.  
  
Breathing in sharply, she wiped her eyes with her sleave, "You know, I told Bra that I accused you of being with the US government, and I told her I was wrong to say it... but... but I wasn't wrong and I'm not sorry I said it. It's true!", she forced out before regressing to sobbing.  
  
Now was as good a time as any, "And you know...", he moved the the arm of the sofa where the gun was hidden, "You were right."  
  
Sobbing she pointed a finger, "And you know, you probably even have a gun hidden right there."  
  
His eyes widened as he pulled the gun. Than, seeing that she was right, she stopped sobbing and stared at the gun.  
  
Nutty fumbled for her purse and began digging for something, "And let me guess, you've been sent to Japan to kill me because I know too much and the US is planning on destroying Japan because of the national debt, and they're afraid I'll talk.", she pulled out a small hand gun.  
  
Chris stared incredilous, "No wonder they sent me to kill you. You must be a spy."  
  
"No... For your information", she wiped her eyes, "I'm not. I just have a lot of extra time and think too hard and this is where it's gotten me!", she pointed the gun at herself, "And I suppose it won't matter if I point this at you, because you've been trained to kill without a second thought to your own life!"  
  
"Why the heck do you have a gun in your purse?", his color drained, "You've got to be a spy."  
  
"Are you going to shoot me, or must I do it myself?", she put the gun to her forehead.  
  
Chris' eyes widened. He grabbed the end of her gun and pulled it away from her head.  
  
"Stop it. Stop it right now!", he ordered, "You're mad."  
  
"No, I'm not.", she sobbed again, "I'm sick of being used by the United States.", she let him hold the end of her gun.  
  
Chris sighed, let go of her gun, and lowered his own. He shut his eyes, a stupid move for any assassin, however safe in his situation. He knew exactly how it felt to be used like that. He was sick of it, himself.  
  
"Nutty, what am I to do with you?", he asked quietly, wanting an answer to his problem.  
  
"You could just kill me and get it over with. I don't want to put up with it anymore anyway.", she looked away from him, "You could get away from them if you really wanted to, but you would have done that long ago if you ever did want to."  
  
"Nutty, I don't want to kill you.", he put his gun on the table.  
  
"But its your job.", Nutty interjected, offering him the use of her gun.  
  
He took it from her and put it on the table too, "Don't you understand?", he took her by the shoulders, "I don't want to. I'm as sick of it as you are. I've killed more people than... oh Nutty...", he looked at her pleadingly.  
  
But what would she say? She'd been through it. That's why he looked to her for advice.  
  
"What do you want from me?", came her strangled cry.  
  
He pulled her toward him, and embraced her, stroking her hair lightly, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...", his voice broke.  
  
She sobbed, her body jerking lightly against his. He too cried, but refused to let his body show it. He was more ashamed than he had ever been in his life.  
  
  
  
  
  
Nutty woke up on top of Chris on the sofa. She had cried herself to sleep in his arms, and he too, had fallen asleep like that. She sighed heavily and let her head fall against his chest. The bruises on her face and ribs hurt, and she was overly fatigued from crying and stress.  
  
He began to wake up to her shifting.  
  
She shook him gently, "Chris?"  
  
"Mmmm... What?", was his waking-up response.  
  
"Chris? Now what do we do? They'll be after us...", she mumbled down at him.  
  
His eyes opened at the thought, "We can't go to school anymore... We'll have to figure a way to get expelled, that way we don't just dissapear..."  
  
"You can't live here either. This is the first place they'll look. You can stay at CC, since they won't think we're working together.", Nutty suggested.  
  
"We're working together? That's a good idea. I have to dissapear completely.", he muttered.  
  
"Well we are, aren't we?", he shook his head in agreement, as a person does when they first wake up, "Okay then. I guess that means we'll have to burn this building down."  
  
He opened his eyes again, a sarcastic look overtaking his face, "Why?"  
  
"That way they think you died, and if not that, atleast there won't be any evidence left behind.", she added.  
  
"Wait a sec. First off, if we get expelled then my house burns down, they'll deffinately know.", she waved it off, "And second, they'll be able to figure out it was arson."  
  
"You have a fire place. People's houses burn everyday when ashes land in the carpet or a log rolls and tosses sparks.", she proposed, "And it doesn't matter if they think you did it on purpose or not. It's the safest way."  
  
"I guess..."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Okay, so we pretend you rape me...", Nutty started.  
  
Chris smirked, "Why can't it be the other way around?"  
  
"You know, you're a total perv!", Nutty growled.  
  
"I'm not the one who came up with this genius plan.", Chris growled back.  
  
"It's the only thing that's so totally sure to get us expelled that--", Nutty continued.  
  
"Yes, yes, I know.", he added, "In the girl's restroom, before 6th period ends, right?"  
  
"Yes, that's when Mr. Dunbar patrols the hallways."  
  
  
  
  
  
As Chris followed Nutty into the restroom, he made sure a kid who was wandering the hallways saw him go in. He and Nutty had agreed to make this look as real as possible, so they had to act it out for real. He looked around the corner to see what she was doing. She was washing her hands.  
  
Mr. Dunbar walked down the hall. All of a sudden, he heard screaming. He ran down the hall, toward the women's restroom, where the sound orientated. Inside, was the one scene he thought he'd never see: the school's best student, Mr. Chris Miller, trying to take advantage of the one girl he had had the most trouble with.  
  
"Mr. Miller...", Mr. Dunbar exclaimed with disdain, "You are both expelled!", he couldn't think clearly with that Nutty girl crying and the whole scene.  
  
He grabbed each by the arm and dragged the two, half-clothed teens down the hall.  
  
"Why me? I didn't do anything wrong!", Nutty exclaimed.  
  
Students stood in the doorways, looking out at the spectacle. It was something they wouldn't soon forget.  
  
In the office, they decided they'd have to call the Briefs. Nutty and Chris looked at each other, realizing what that would mean. As the secretary dialed the number, Nutty grabbed the phone, and crying, told Bulma how some kid had tried to rape her, but Chris came and tried to save her, but she didn't realize it at the time and ended up hurting him instead of the bad kid.  
  
Bulma came right down, fussing over the two. The whole time, Mr. Dunbar didn't understand what was going on.  
  
Bulma had her personal limo take Nutty and Chris to his house to drop him off. In the back, behind the shielded glass, they talked.  
  
"That was good. You're a good actor.", Nutty said breathlessly, "I was really scared."  
  
"Who said I was acting?", he smiled at her.  
  
She shuttered. Sometimes some of the things he said really scared her. She knew that if he hadn't stopped, he could have really hurt her. Then again, looking back to the other night, he could have really killed her.  
  
It was funny, how afraid this one little boy could make her, when she lived and made angry one of the strongest men on the planet. There were a lot of people who really hated her who could really hurt her, yet this was the only one who ever scared her.  
  
He reached over and lightly brushed her bare shoulder with his fingertips. She marveled at it. He was so scary... and yet... She really WASN'T afraid of him. She sighed.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts?",he asked carefully.  
  
"Maybe a twenty-four karat diamond, yes. A penny, not on your life.", she looked at him, then noticing the cuts around his face and arms where she had scratched him, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you."  
  
He laughed, "Hurt me? After the coffee mug? Come now, Nutnut..."  
  
"Nutnut?", it was her turn to look incredulous.  
  
He smiled and shook his head, dropping his hand from her arm, to where her hand rested.  
  
She smiled and looked over at him, "Time to burn down a house?"  
  
"Shh...", he whispered, "Wait until tomorrow. Then it won't look quite so suspicious." 


	5. Fending Off the US Government

Fending Off the US Government  
  
"Okay, so, we take this log and just... yeah... yeah... no... there you go. See?", Nutty coaxed.  
  
"Okay, so now we just watch this thing burn for a while, until we 'notice' it?", Chris asked as he nervously backed onto the couch.  
  
"Don't wait too long. Just until i-- Now's fine. Come on.", she began, then continued in a yell, "Oh my God!!! Chris, quick, get some water!"  
  
"Oh no!", he ran for the kitchen.  
  
By the time he got back from the kitchen, the sofa was starting to burn, and Nutty stood near the door, her nose and mouth covered.  
  
He had to run near the flames to get to the door, burning himself, but all the more realistic.  
  
Nutty, having been in the smokey room longer, slumped near the door. He grabbed her by the arms, and lifted her up, pulling her out of the house. He was about to start yelling for help, but Nutty quieted him and pointed him toward a bush.  
  
There, he hid while Nutty yelled for help and told the neighbor that he was still in the house. Soon, the fire department arrived, as well as the Briefs, who came to take care of Nutty.  
  
Nutty whispered that Chris wasn't still in the house, but they couldn't tell the police or firemen or anything, etc. Discretely, they parked near the bush and let Chris get in.  
  
Nutty, of course, had to go tell her story to the police and be frantic and cry, but otherwise, she was allowed to go.  
  
  
  
  
  
At the Briefs', Chris was given a guest room, near Nutty's, considering the guest rooms were all in the same hallway.  
  
As Chris was getting settled into his new room, there was a knock on the door. He figured it was one of the Briefs' family, coming to check in on him. He opened it quietly, so as to not wake the rest of the house. In front of him stood Nutty in a long, loosely fitted nightgown. She must have been planning to go to bed but decided against it.  
  
"Come in... What are you still doing up?", Chris let her walk in before shutting the door.  
  
"Oh, I'm always up late. I try to go to bed, but some question or another pops into mind and I have to get up and ask someone. Drove Vegi-butt crazy, 'till he got used to it.", she sat down indian-style on his bed.  
  
He raised a brow, "Oh... I see. Well, what question have you for me?"  
  
"None in particular..", she started, "I was just thinking. You know, we can't stay here forever. We've got to do something about this whole mess."  
  
He leaned against the wall, watching her animated hand gestures, "So, do you actually have any ideas on what exactly we should do?"  
  
"Of course! After a bit of research, and remembering some recent articles I've read, I realized that the US is ready to attack Japan, duh, and what not, right?", her frequent hand gestures made the neckline of her nightgown slump down around her shoulder.  
  
He laughed at her child-like giddiness, "Of course. One more reason for them to want to kill us..."  
  
"Well, the real reason the US is attacking Japan is over some petty issue with the national debt. The US is in debt, Japan calls this debt in, but the US doesn't have the money to pay... Right?", she leaned forward, rearranging her legs so that she sat, knees bent backward into a 'W' shape, that looked fairly uncomfortable but was quite the contrary.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, get to the point.", he waited.  
  
"Well, if we were to get onto a computer... make a few unauthorized bank transitions... then we could pay off the debt, Japan would be happy, the US would find that the Japanese 'dropped' the debt, and both governments would be too caught up to notice a few stray teenage experiments.", she looked to him for approval.  
  
He ran his hand through his already tousled hair, "Nutty, dear, where do you think of these things?"  
  
"Is it really that bad of an idea? Its all I could think of!", she looked worried.  
  
"No, its dangerous, but its genius. I mean, damn!", he laughed, "There might be a few problems, but I'm sure we could work those out."  
  
"Great!", she chimed, clasping her hands together, "We can sneak into Bulma's lab tomorrow night!"  
  
"Wait, wait, wait. Let's think this through before--", he was cut off.  
  
"We have all of tomorrow!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Okay, so this code will hack into the US treasury's computer database... it'll issue a comman to print so many bills... Those bills will be delivered to a random bank, transferred seventeen times, before arriving at Tokyo International.", Chris explained.  
  
"Great!", Nutty smiled.  
  
So Chris spent the next few hours typing in the pages of code. Finally, he completed it and hit enter.  
  
The machine sparked and something electrical went wrong.  
  
"What happened?!", Nutty backed away from the sparking machine.  
  
"Shit... Some kind of mechanism was built into the computer... It's gonna explode...", Chris backed away, grabbed Nutty by the arm, and jerked them both away from the machine.  
  
Explode it did, and the room began to burn.  
  
"Great... the two greatest arsonists ever!", Nutty hid behind Chris, who was hiding behind the desk.  
  
Shrapnel fell about them. They had to wait for the remaining shrapnel to fall before leaving. By then, they were trapped in the room that was quickly filling with smoke.  
  
The two teens sank low to the floor, avoiding the smoke and flame as best they could. It wasn't enough, as smoke filled their lungs like a black, rolling fog.  
  
They couldn't last much longer with the flames eating away at their flesh.  
  
Then, as the room began to black out of vision to the two young people, Vegeta crashed through the ceiling and rescued them.  
  
He mumbled to himself as he flew in the direction of the hospital, "Damned if I don't have to save a couple of... Bra-chan would kill me if I didn't... errr..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Later that evening, Chris awoke in the emergency ward. Parts of him were numb and the parts that weren't, hurt terribly. He wanted to cry, but he found he couldn't have forced the tears out.  
  
It was a very bad place to be if one was running from an outlandish government.  
  
Left for a few more hours of pain, Bra herself, visited him that evening, bringing with her, a small pouch full of zenzu beans. She made sure he would get well and out of that hospital quickly.  
  
"Ay... Bra what happened? Wha...", he gritted out.  
  
"Well, my mother's computers have trip devices on them. When you were screwing around on her computer, you tripped it and it blew up... daddy had to rescue you and Nutty...", Bra stood firmly, the bag clutched in front of her.  
  
Chris's eyes lit up, "Nutty? Where is she? Is she okay?"  
  
"Yes, she's fine. I've already visited her.", Bra smiled.  
  
"And... hey, wait... You said your father saved us?", Chris looked at her with a mix of doubt and sarcasm.  
  
Bra smiled wider, "Daddy's not all bad.", here, she giggled, "He wouldn't have let either of you die!"  
  
Somehow, that didn't put Chris at ease.  
  
  
  
  
  
Thanks to the zenzu beans, Nutty and Chris were out of the hospital within the week. Unfortunately, it wasn't soon enough. US agents were begining to snoop around where they weren't supposed to be.  
  
All because of a little fire, they had lost their one oppurtunity for a safe escape.  
  
"We're going to have to get out of here...", Nutty touched a place on her arm which was still raw with burn.  
  
"Where are we going? There isn't any country that would give us refuge... Not a chance when the US is ready to start a war over two lil' teenagers... and Japan is still in danger...", Chris sat stiffly on the padded chair in Nutty's room.  
  
"Come on Chris... your plan would have worked. We just have to find a computer that will--", she began.  
  
"No. Not going through that again.", he motioned as a final statement.  
  
"I've talked to Bulma. She's promised to help us. She'll set up the computer and help us hack. Then she'll get us a couple of tickets to Canada, because she figures the US won't look for us so close to home, and the Canadians won't recognize us."  
  
Chris shook his head, "Fine, but I don't like it. It don't feel right."  
  
"It'll work, I promise.", she smiled and leaned back on her bed.  
  
"Sure it will. Everytime you've said that since I've met you, something has gone wrong, and not just normal wrong. It's gone five times worse than I ever thought possible every time."  
  
"Oh, as if you've done so hot yourself.", Nutty shut her eyes.  
  
"Considering I've let you do all the thinking.", Chris growled.  
  
"You never suggested anything.", she countered.  
  
"Well how could I when you--", he stopped himself with a small laugh.  
  
Looking up at him, she smiled back, "Sure Chris... Sure."  
  
  
  
  
  
With Bulma's help, they successfully got Japan off the hook and got tickets for the soonest flight to Canada. The arrived at the airport around noon.  
  
Bulma left the two teens, knowing it would be foolish and draw attention to them if she stuck around. They went into the airport and looked around.  
  
"I don't like this...", Nutty clung to his arm.  
  
Chris looked down at her oddly, "Geez. What's wrong... You afraid of agents NOW?"  
  
She snorted indignantly, "No... I'm afraid of heights."  
  
"GREAT!! Just what I needed to know now.", it was his turn to look indignant.  
  
"Well, you know you can always go ahead on your own...", she looked him in the eyes defiantly.  
  
"And leave you to tell those damn Americans my location? Never!", he grabbed his small pack.  
  
"As if I would...", she grumbled and followed in suite.  
  
They went through the normal flight opperations and finally boarded their plane. Chris took the window seat out of courtesy to Nutty, though he wouldn't admit to it.  
  
They waited for boarding to finish, Nutty shifting her legs nervously.  
  
"Do you think we'll be safe?", she asked.  
  
"In Canada? I'm not sure, we may--"  
  
"I meant on the plane..."  
  
"Of course, or else we would have driven..."  
  
"No need for sarcasm..."  
  
A group of men dressed in heavier clothes boarded the plane and sat three rows behind Nutty and Chris. Then a pair of tourists sat across from them. Boarding was almost complete.  
  
A few minutes before the plane was moved away from docking, the men three rows behind them stood up, and with a gun, forced Chris out of his seat. Both Nutty and Chris froze.  
  
One of the men said something to Chris in what seemed to be Russian.  
  
"Chris?", Nutty asked, reaching for her purse where she kept her gun.  
  
Chris first answered the man in Russian, his accent off a little, then turned to Nutty, "No... they'll kill you if you pull out your gun... Don't do it. Everything's gonna be great. Just fine. You stay on the plane and you'll make it safely to Canada."  
  
"What the hell about you?", she growled, earning a gun pointed in her face.  
  
"Nutty...", he said warningly, "Stay here. Everything is going to be fine.", he leaned toward her and kissed her lightly on the lips, holding her chin between his graceful fingers.  
  
Shoving the butt of his gun into Chris's side, one of the Russians cut their kiss short and pushed Chris out of the plane.  
  
Right after the group left, Nutty got up, grabbed her purse and Chris's sachel, and ran toward the door. A stewardess pushed her back toward her seat politely, luckily. If Nutty had gotten to the plane exit, she would have been shot by one of the two remaining Russians. 


	6. Losing Chris

Losing Chris  
  
Nutty stayed on the plane and made it to Canada safely. There was no doubt that that would happen. Now the problem was what was happening to Chris.  
  
She was so worried about him. She had to catch the next plane back to Japan. She was nearly panicking. What if he wasn't in Japan? What if they took him back to Russia? What if they took him to some other country.  
  
With what little money she had left, she purchased a one-way ticket to Japan. Even if he wasn't there, it was the best place to start looking. She arrived in Japan early the next morning, around one.  
  
To her surprise, Bulma was asleep in the main lobby, a book in her lap. Nutty paced quickly over to her, as tired as she was. Throwing the sachel and purse down, she shook Bulma lightly. Bulma woke up immediately.  
  
"Nutty! You're back. I'm so glad.", she grabbed Nutty by the shoulders.  
  
"Chris was taken. Did you see where they all went? Please tell me you did...", there were dark ring under her scared eyes.  
  
"Yes, yes I did, good heavens child... They were heading to the Russian National Airbase. I knew you'd come back, so I bought you a ticket to the nearest airport. From there, there's a twenty mile trip to the airbase. I've packed you a few extra things, and some money. Your plane leaves in two hours.", Bulma touched Nutty's face.  
  
"Two hours? Is there anyway to push the flight forward?", Nutty slumped down into one of the chairs, next to her bags.  
  
"No. It's the soonest flight, hun. I'm doing my best.", Bulma shifted the book in her lap.  
  
Nutty sighed. She would have to wait, even if it meant being too late. There was no other way.  
  
  
  
  
  
An hour and a half later, Bulma woke Nutty up. She had fallen asleep waiting.  
  
"Time for you to go. Good luck.", Bulma said after shaking Nutty awake.  
  
"Rubbing her eyes, Nutty grabbed the bags, nodded thankfully to Bulma, and ran toward her loading exit.  
  
She got on the plane and fell asleep once more, not to be awakened until they landed.  
  
  
  
  
  
Nutty was woken up by another passanger when the plane began to land. She looked out the window. It was around eleven in the morning and the almost- noon lighting gave the white-specked landscape a sureal look.  
  
She was anxious now. Bulma had overheard the Russians talking about going to the Russian National Airbase. Nutty began wondering how both Bulma and Chris knew Russian. She didn't understand a word of it. On her way out of the airport, she stole a Russo/English dictionary and studied it.  
  
  
  
  
  
On her way out of the airport, she looked around, got her bearings and found the direction in which the airbase was. Twenty miles was a long way by foot. She found a straw truck heading the same direction and jumped on the back, hiding Chris's sachel, her own purse, and the bag Bulma gave her, under her shirt, tied around her waist. That way, if she was found out, she wouldn't lose sight of the important items. Then, she pushed herself down in it, making sure she didn't lose her baggage. She pulled out the dictionary, and continued her studdies, leaving a little room for her head and book. If anyone looked her way, they would have mistaken her for a piece of clothing someone left sitting in the straw.  
  
She was lucky to overhear the driver. He was a Russian spy disguised as a farmer. That was a little nerve-racking, for Nutty. He was delivering a message to the airbase. She wouldn't have to get off and walk the rest of the way. He was taking her right where she wanted to go, and after looking over the dictionary, she was beginning to understand a lot of what he was saying. She was good at picking up things like languages quickly.  
  
Finally, after a half hour, they were at the main entrance to the fort. Before she knew what happened, the Russians were tossing the straw out of the truck, checking it for any unwanted stowaways. She didn't even have time to pull out her gun, before one of the Russians had a gun to her neck.  
  
Atleast now she could understand their conversation.  
  
"Where did you pick this one up?", one of them said from the side.  
  
"Just shoot her and get it over with.", another one who was watching spat out.  
  
"Must of been at the airport. It's the only place I've stopped.", the driver shrugged.  
  
"Wait, I think I've seen her before...", another man pushed in front of a few who were gathered around, "Yes... she was on the plane. Take her to Nicholas. He may find some use for her. She knows the American boy."  
  
"Are you sure?", the man with the gun pressed it harder into her neck.  
  
"Yeah. Go ahead.", one of the men in back called, "I'm sure Nicohlas will find SOME use for her.", they all laughed.  
  
The two closest to her grabbed her by the arms, and dragged her into the compound.  
  
She was taken to a far building and up a flight of stairs inside. They entered a room on one of the upper floors, though Nutty lost count of how many flights they traveled.  
  
There was a man, accross the room, next to another door.  
  
The man to her left, who grasped her arm more tightly, called to the man near the door, "We need to talk to Nicohlas. It's important. We have a _____", she didn't understand the last word he used, and that was probably a good thing.  
  
"I don't think he's finished, but...", the man near the door was already opening it and going in.  
  
A moment later, the man came back, followed by a shorter man with a thick mustache and dark eyes that seemed to be lost in the folds of wrinkly skin around them.  
  
"This girl, does she know him?", the man said in his thick, salty voice.  
  
"Yes, sir.", the man on her right stood erect.  
  
In fact, he was so busy trying to impress his better, that she could have easily taken him out. In fact...  
  
It only took a minute for the other guard to get both her hands behind her back, but by the time he had, his mate was laying on the ground with a broken neck. It might not have been the smart thing to do, she now realized, as a gun was placed to the base of her neck.  
  
"Yes, I know Chris.", she growled lowly in somewhat okay Russian.  
  
"Its a little late for that, don't you agree?", the short, important- looking man sighed, as if seeing one of his soldiers die was just another part of the scenery.  
  
"I wouldn't shoot me if I were you.", she stuttered.  
  
"Oh, no need to worry over that. We're going to use you as bate.",the man smiled, "Keep her out here until I ask for her."  
  
"Like hell!!", she tried to shake herself free, but it didn't work.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Now, Mr. Miller, you've made it quite clear to us that you know exactly what you're doing.", the man with the mustache, as Chris knew him, Nicholas, paced in front of him.  
  
Chris was bound to the chair he sat in, quite uncomfortably, "I told you, I don't know nothing."  
  
"And I don't believe you one bit. You'll talk.", Nicholas smiled, "If I have to kill you, you'll talk."  
  
"Go ahead and kill me. You'll kill me if I do tell you anyway.", he shot through his teeth.  
  
"True... true. Maybe this will persuade you...", Nicholas snapped.  
  
The remaining, burly Russian dragged Nutty into the room and held her at arms length.  
  
Chris gasped, "No.."  
  
"Ah, we seem to have guessed right.", Nicholas lifted Nutty's chin, "We found this little treat hiding in one of our disguised wagons."  
  
Chris grew angry and jerked at his bonds, "Nutty, I told you to get away!"  
  
"I couldn't just leave you...", she mumbled.  
  
"You couldn't have just did what I asked, could you?", he growled.  
  
"No, I just happened to not be able to.", her eyebrows knit together.  
  
"Jeez, Nutty, I told you, I'd be fine!", he couldn't help but yell.  
  
"You told me! Ha! And here you are, about to be shot for who knows what. I'll be fine he says... Don't worry about me he says...", she mocked angrily.  
  
Nicholas laughed and the two stopped bickering.  
  
In broken English, Nicholas went on, "Why Mr. Miller, you fight with her as if you were married. Should I assume anything?"  
  
"Assume whatever you want to... she's nothing to me.", he looked her over, "But I must admit, she's a nice piece of ass."  
  
Nutty grew red, a defiant look on her face.  
  
Nicholas laughed once more, "And if we killed her?"  
  
A spark of worry covered his face, but was quickly covered, "She's nothing to me. Remember, I'm used to killing people, kind of like you are. In fact...", he paused, stuttering, "I was hired to kill her."  
  
That spark was enough and Nicholas didn't miss anything, "I think you're lying, boy. I think she means a lot to you. You may be a trained assassin, but old habbits die hard. Feelings, to you, are one of those habbits, as is clear with this young lady."  
  
Nutty jerked and kicked, but she had lost the element of surprise, as she had in her fight with Sherman.  
  
"Tell me.", Nicholas looked straight into Chris' eyes, "Tell me or I'll have her shot."  
  
"No...", he let a spare glance drift over toward Nutty.  
  
"You have one last chance. Dolkohov...", Nicholas waited for the man to put his gun to the back of Nutty's head.  
  
"Er.... Okay, okay... I'll do it...", Chris's head dropped in defeat.  
  
"We'll have a station set up for you immediately, sir.", Nicholas said it with such disdain.  
  
As soon as Nicholas exited the room, Dolkohov, the man holding Nutty, shoved her hard, and left before she could pick herself up.  
  
"Why'd you let them get you...", Chris made more of a statement than a question.  
  
"I really didn't mean to. I didn't know what was going on... I'm sorry.", her voice dropped on the last part.  
  
He leaned his head back, "Jeez..."  
  
"Let me get you out of there...", she reached under her shirt.  
  
"What are you going to do, flash me? Like that's going to get rid of these ropes!"  
  
She gave him a sarcastic look, "It just happens I managed to smuggle our bags here...", she pulled out the purse, sachel, and bag.  
  
Opening the purse, she pulled out a knife.  
  
"Okay, so we're back to Mrs. I'm-prepared-for-a-nuclear-war", he growled.  
  
"Do you want out or not? I could just leave you here, you know.", she started cutting the ropes.  
  
"I'm sure you would, too.", he was quiet afterward.  
  
She cut at the ropes until he was free. He rubbed his raw wrists, ankles, and sore ribs.  
  
"Boy that feels good...", he stretched.  
  
"Better not feel too good. We've got to figure a way out of here.", she looked around thoughtfully.  
  
"Nutty, Nutty, Nutty dear... The chances of us making it out of this base alive are a thousand to one.", he wrapped his arms around her protectively.  
  
"And I'm sure you know this from experience...", she mumbled, shutting her eyes for a moment to enjoy his arms.  
  
"But of course..."  
  
Nutty opened her eyes thoughtfully, "Is this room bugged? Do you know? Camera, or just audio?"  
  
He laughed, "I'm sure it is bugged, but when have I been up checking?", he rubbed his raw wrists to enphasize the point.  
  
"Geez... Quick...", she pulled away from him and started searching the walls.  
  
Chris checked around the sparse furnishings. Together, they found three microphones and one heat sensor. Disabling them, they could finally talk freely.  
  
"Oh, I hope they didn't see or hear anything about our packs...", Nutty looked around carefully.  
  
"I'm pretty sure they must've. Don't worry about it. I figure they would have found them on you by now and taken them had they wanted to really check. They found you, didn't they?", Chris sat in the uncomfortable chair he had been tied to.  
  
"Still...", she went on, "We've got to do something!"  
  
"And what can we do? You tell me, since obviously you know so much about escaping.", he was so calm about it.  
  
"Now Chris, dearest...", she cooed at him.  
  
"No... I'm serious. You think I'd sound this hopeless if it weren't so?", he looked up at her.  
  
"So, they know about the packs. That's okay. I'll deal with that. We don't have to lose everything. Chris, you've been here before, right? How well do you know it here?", she sat down on the floor in front of him, his eyes following her.  
  
"Inside and out...", his voice was trembling.  
  
"Then you can find an escape route and--", she was cut off.  
  
"Damnit, there aren't any. The only way out is right through the front doors!", she'd never seen him break down like that.  
  
She put her hand on his knee in a comforting way, "Calm down... They're going to kill us anyway, right? Why not make it at their own expense. If we make a run for it, however small the chance, we may make it out, and if not, we'll be the thorn up their asses."  
  
He looked into her eyes on the last comment. She held his gaze with one of her own experience.  
  
Before he could think of something to say, she went on, "Why don't we get some sleep on it.", his expression turned to one of distress, "They're not going to kill you, and most likely not even me, before they get the information, whatever it is, they want."  
  
He shook his head and let her take his hand, pull him up, and manuever him to a corner. She left him there for a moment, and went to rummage in her purse. She took considerable time, but came back with inflatable pillows, a sheet, and a light blanket (the type that is easily rolled and stored).  
  
"What's all this?", asked he.  
  
"I keep it in--", she started.  
  
"In your purse...", he completed her sentence.  
  
She knodded as the blankets fell from her arms. After a bit, she had it all set up. It was a fairly small space, but large enough for two people if they weren't four feet away from each other.  
  
"There... you lay down and I'll go check something.", he watched her go to the other side of the room before turning his back and taking off his shirt.  
  
It was a little warm in the artificially heated room. He stretched and crawled beneath the light sheet. The plastic pillow felt strange, but not unwelcome under his heavy head.  
  
Nutty came back over, and knelt near Chris. He had fallen asleep. He must have been exhausted after all he'd been through. She crawled in next to him under both the sheet and blanket and ran her fingers down his arm. Then, in the low light, she too, fell asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
Nutty awoke to fingers brushing against her back. She would have attacked if she hadn't realized it was Chris. She hadn't moved yet. She decided to pretend she was still asleep.  
  
He whispered, at first a mumble, which soon turned into phrases, before sentences, "Oh... Nutty... Why did you have to get involved... I wanted you to be safe... I could have escaped and met you in Canada... You're in enough trouble... you don't need mine... Now there's no way out... None... Its my fault. I knew you'd want to help. You always want to help... I love you too much to see you hurt like this... I wish you'd just understand... You're not that strong... You'll just get into more trouble... You can't handle it like I can. I have to get you out of here... God, I love you...", he mumbled the last part into her hair.  
  
She felt like flinching, or crying, or something. She suddenly felt like she had a stone in her chest. She just wanted to tell him the truth... but that would be too awkward.  
  
Right with timing Nicholas and several of his men walked into the bare room. He ordered two men to pick up the disgarded purse and belongings and take them out of the room. Meanwhile, he stepped closer to the pair on the floor.  
  
"Dolkohov, Boris, take miss Nutty to a seperate room. That way we can be sure nothing will happen to her while Mr. Miller here is telling us his tale.", Nicholas watched calmly as the two stepped forward and reached for Nutty.  
  
Grabbing her by the arms, they lifted. Her eyes bulged opened, as her arms were being jerked from their sockets. Chris grabbed her by the waist and jerked back, pulling her into his lap. In the same motion, he slipped a knife out of his pocket and held it to both Nutty and his own neck at the same time.  
  
"Don't touch her!", Chris roared.  
  
"Chris, Chris, Chris.", Nicholas tsked, "We're moving your darling dear to another room. That way you can't threaten us."  
  
"If you do that, how am I supposed to know if you've killed her or not?", Chris growled, holding Nutty overly tightly.  
  
"You don't know, Christopher.", Nicholas smiled.  
  
"One of you bastards lays one finger on her, and I shred both our throats. Then how ya gonna get your information? Tell me that!", Chris brought the knife directly to his own throat.  
  
Nicholas looked thoughtful for a moment, then snapped, letting his few men leave the room, "Chris, I promise you, our next encounter will not be this short.", Nicholas left.  
  
"Leaning back, Chris sighed exhaustedly", said the narrator, who isn't in this story at all.  
  
He kept his arms wound tightly around her. She squirmed slightly, awakening him to the fact that she wasn't quite so asleep as he thought. Even though she had been awake, how could anyone sleep through being jerked up like that? He released her.  
  
She sat up sharply, "Chris, we've got to get out of here."  
  
"You say it, but its not quite so easy. For one, they've got your cute little purse o' magic...", he sat forward stiffly, his hand on his face.  
  
"No they don't. Well, they do have my purse... I emptied it...", she pulled out the hidden bag into which all the items that were previously in her purse were now piled.  
  
Chris perked slightly, "You didn't..."  
  
"Well, you don't expect me to give up my stuff, do you?", she mumbled, "Anyway, the blankets have an interesting setup. Woven into it are over a hundered water-proof matches, twenty or so small explosives, and a water gun."  
  
"A water gun?", Chris looked confused then motioned that he didn't really want to know.  
  
She shook her head, a slight smile gripping her face, "We've got to get you to Canada... When we're safe, I'll have the ask you what you did to piss Russia off"  
  
"When?", he questioned, "Since when are we so optimistic?"  
  
"We'll get out... We're going to charge right out the front door, like we talked about doing earlier.", she pulled the pistol out of what was now her carrying case.  
  
"With a pistol and a blanket lined with... a watergun?", Chris asked sarcastically.  
  
"What, don't you trust me?", she pulled out a small canister of sleeping gas.  
  
"No." 


	7. Another Daring Escape

Another Daring Escape  
  
"What the heck?!", Chris stuttered as Nutty slit the blanket open, pulled out the pieces of a water gun, assembled them, and started filling it with the canister of liquid, nitris oxide.   
  
"I told you... I'm deffinately not going down without a fight. ", she closed the canister tightly, "And actually, you're not supposed to inhale nitris oxide by itself. You're supposed to mix it with oxygen so you don't get too much."   
  
"And what happens if you inhale too much?", Chris started packing some of their remaining possessions, the ones that hadn't been taken.   
  
"I'm not quite sure... but I guess we'll find out.", she grinned.   
  
They finished packing their supplies, except for the water gun and two hand guns. They each kept a pistol at their side, and Nutty carried the water gun. They tried to open the door, but of course, it was locked.   
  
"Great... my lockpick kit is packed up... Now we're going to have to unload everything!", Nutty growled.   
  
"No, no. Its okay. I've got one right here.", Chris smirked as Nutty looked at him admiringly.   
  
"Well, Chris Miller, I didn't think a big bad spy like yourself who's been relying on me all this time would actually have something handy!", she put her hands on her hips.   
  
"Watch it. Next time, I might not be so handy!", he quickly unlocked the door with the thin, metal instrument.   
  
Taking their time, they crept down the hallway. Nutty was poised to shoot anyone they saw with the vile mixture that could probably have knocked out a manittee. Strangely, they only met three guards down the halls, all of which were completely off-guard and easy enough to take out.   
  
"Something's going on... I don't like it...", Chris grumbled, his gun clicking anxiously at his side.   
  
"What do you mean? We're safe so far. You should be glad.", Nutty tapped the trigger of the water gun, releasing small bits of nitris oxide into the air, enough to lighten moods. ((If anyone hasn't caught on by now, nitris oxide is what dentists use to calm patients. Its like laughing gas... don't ask why or how I know this))   
  
"There are normally more guards around here...", he shook his head.   
  
"Normally? Okay, now I'm curious.", she searched the two hallways that met the one they were traveling through.   
  
"Don't ask, okay? Just don't. I'll explain later... They've all got to be somewhere.", he looked nervous.   
  
"Maybe they're at some sort of meeting... ", she suggested.   
  
"No way... Maybe there's a war we're not informed on... going on right now...", Chris also suggested.   
  
"Well, relations between Russia and Poland haven't been too great recently... They've had problems with most of Central Europe for that matter...", Nutty thought outloud.   
  
"Good point. I didn't even think of that...", he looked around more cautiously.   
  
They made it to the main gates with few problems. Even outside, where there should have been a hundred soldiers, guarding from outside invasion, there were only a few.   
  
"Chris, I think you might be right...", Nutty looked around suspiciously, keeping the water gun pointed toward her line of vision, "Not even the US would pull some crap like this. I lived on a base for a while. It wasn't THIS lax!"   
  
"You're right, there. This place is never this abandonned. Even when they were out for meetings or doing whatever it is they do...", Chris peered around the wall before stepping out into the open.   
  
"You mean you don't know what they do here?", Nutty dropped her watchful state only for a moment.   
  
"Well, I do... but I don't. You know! It's not like I spent years here, perfecting some virus to destroy their computers.", Chris mumbled in a low, nearly inaudible voice.   
  
"Oh, so you only spent a few months here, perfecting that virus?", Nutty asked, too seriously.   
  
"Well, yeah. About three and a half before I was caught.", Chris stopped her before she walked into a soldier on the outside of the door frame.   
  
"I see...", Nutty shot the man with the water gun and watched as he fell limp against the wall, "Well, atleast if this stuff kills them, it kills them quietly.", she said it so matter-of-factly.   
  
"Not something you should get used to... killing, that is.", Chris looked down at the man, who's chest was still rising and falling.   
  
"Not something you do get used to. Just something you put behind you until you are safe enough to mourn it.", she slid along the wall.   
  
Chris paused and breathed in. It was so strange being around someone who understood how he felt. Its just that he had never been able to go back and mourn. He just kept killing and killing, never taking that break he needed to let it all go, so it was all sitting there in a lump in his chest. He felt fingers brush his shoulder and grabbed the arm that connected to those fingers. That arm was twisted behind a tense back and a quick yelp came from the lungs and throat and mouth attatched to that back. It was a few moments before Chris realized who he had in that arm-lock.   
  
He quickly released Nutty and appologized, a light sweat building on his upper lip and a heat encompassing his face. She glared at him, but holding her arm, moved more quickly along the wall. Soldiers were coming.   
  
She had only been trying to comfort him. He looked so sad at that moment. They made came to the section of wall closest to the main gate. They were right accross from it. Nutty shoved the water gun in her belt and pulled out her real gun, readying it for their run for freedom. Chris, realizing how grim their situation was, hesitantly prepared his own gun.   
  
"Ready?", Nutty whispered as the few soldiers who had heard her scream, searched wildly toward the west end of the compound.   
  
"No...", Chris growled, "This is a horrible idea, and the rest of the soldiers that aren't here now are going to show up suddenly and kill us..."   
  
"Ey now! Stop predicting the future! That's my job, you lout!", she whispered and tapped his shoulder playfully.   
  
"Nutty... just in case one of us does die...", he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.   
  
"For one, if that was some idea of yours to be romantic, it isn't working, and for two, what makes you think we're gonna die?", she suddenly charged forward recklessly, shooting both guards stationed at the main gate, before they realized she was there.   
  
Chris ran after her, backwards, cleaning up the guards she left behind them. One guard made a run to close the gate, but was shot down first. His partner, a few seconds behind him, made it to the gate-release, but it was a moment too late; the two teens were locked outside the gate and it would be too late to chase them by the time the gates were opened again.   
  
Three of the more wreckless soldiers shot at the pair as they made their run for cover. Bullets bounced off the ground around them, driving already-high adrenaline rushes even higher. They were almost to safety. Just a few more yards and they would be into the forest and out of range.   
  
Chris stumbled and fell behind, finally tripping and falling. Nutty stopped and ran back toward him, ignoring the flying bits of metal that buzzed by her ears. She shook Chris. He grabbed at his shoulder and she dragged him to his feet. He had been shot in the right shoulder. She shoved him forward into the woods, ignoring her panic.   
  
He slowed down, but she kept him running. Finally, he collapsed from loss of blood. She had wanted to treat him immediately, but they were too close to the compound. They were still too close. She had to get him to safety before they could rest.   
  
She took the moment to remove his shirt, tear it into a long strip, and wrap it around his chest. It was incredibly cold outside, and she knew that neither of them would last long as currently supplied.   
  
She tapped him on the cheek lightly, to wake him up. He layed there groggily for a moment, before the realization of his pain made him wince.   
  
Her terror was really startting to set in. She wondered vainly in the back of her mind if the bullet might have pierced his lungs, his heart. She worried that he'd die of shock, blood loss, or from freezing to death. She worried that if he did make it, what if he got an infection or what if the bullet wouldn't come out.   
  
She whispered to him, "Chris, hun, you have to get up... We have to get to safety... Chris... CHRIS...", she tried to get his attention.   
  
She took a moment to think about what she should do. She decided that she would try a trick she learned in girl scouts. She ran off and searched the forest floor for limbs. She didn't find any that would be suitable. Finally, she found two young pines and managed to use some items from her purse to cut the inch-thick trees. Pulling some yarn from her purse she bound the trees together and bound Chris onto the make-shift gurney.   
  
She took a moment to prepare herself, hoping desperately that she could pull his weight. She grabbed the ends of the limbs and started pulling. It was a very slow proccess, but the pine needles allowed the gurney to slip more easily allong the ground. As slow as it was, it was faster than sitting around waiting for him to wake up.   
  
A few times, he muttered something, but she couldn't hear over the sound of rustling pine needles. Finally, taking a break, she realized what an obvious trail she had left. Anyone could have followed it. She left Chris and followed the trail back about a hundred and fifty yards and started carefully covering their tracks. If they took dogs, they'd stand no chance, but as long as they just had a bunch of soldiers searching, they'd never find them.   
  
She made her way back to Chris quickly. She was afraid that wild dogs or wolves would attack him while he was lying there, unable to defend himself. She made it back, and found Chris unharmed, though shivering a little. It was horrible luck, that of all the stuff in her purse, the best she could produce was the blanket she had torn to get to the water gun. She pulled it out and tucked it around Chris. They had to make it to a settlement soon. They couldn't risk making a fire, and Chris needed help desperately. Nutty sobbed a little as she pulled the pine-bed, pausing every now and again to back-track and cover their trail.   
  
The day was ending, the temperature dropping. Nutty broke down sobbing. There was no sign of people anywhere. She was probably heading in the wrong direction.   
  
As she sat, sobbing into her knees, she heard a slight grunt. With a gasp, she leaned forward over Chris, who was once more drifting into consciousness.   
  
"Chris, hun? Oh... please... Chris?", she looked down on him, her hair hiding most of her tear-soaked face.   
  
For all her skills, she had not mastered the technique of crying prettily.   
  
He grunted again, looking very sickly, a sweat breaking over his body, despite the cold, "Nutty, where are we?" He tried to swollow the pain he felt, seeing her face through the mess of hair, his vision cloudy, "Are you okay?"   
  
She trembled, leaning back, her arms wrapped protectively around her chest. Goosebumps marched their way up her arms, perfectly trained little soldiers.   
  
She trembled, "I don't know where we are, I'm not the one who got shot here, I don't even know if you're alright and--"   
  
He cut her off, "Okay, okay. Shhh...", he paused to take a deep breath, his body rebeling against him, "Ask me a question, like how many fingers you're holding up, or something."   
  
"Which side of the tree does moss grow on?", she asked impulsively.   
  
"North...ah", he winced again.   
  
Nutty started to search her make-shift purse, pulling out several medical items. She started setting up a small area for whatever she planned to do.   
  
"Nutty, I think we should wait... I can make it to the nearest villiage. I'll be fine.", Chris leaned forward, immediately regretting the action.   
  
As he curled up to quail the pain, she held a surenge up close for him to see, "Listen here. You're going to go along with this, because I refuse to let you sit here writhing in pain like some injured, hunted animal. Lay down, this is going to hurt a bit."   
  
He was pushed back down to the pine-bed, his arm held steady as she inserted the needle, amber liquid forced through the thin opening.   
  
"I like the word writhe... What made you use... ow!", he paused before asking, "What was that?"   
  
"It's novicane.", she said it as a simple fact, "It will make it numb."   
  
"What the heck are you doing with novicane in there? Wait... wait, I don't want to know."   
  
"Well, some nice dentist told me he'd give it to me if I'd leave his office.", she sniffed, trying to calm her nerves.   
  
"Oy...", he started to relax as the pain was numbed out of existance.   
  
"Alright, as soon as that's numb, we can take the bullet out.", she rested her head on her knees, the throbbing subsiding, if only for a moment.   
  
He reached out with his left hand, touching her wrist. She looked up at him sharply, but he had his eyes closed.   
  
"You're shaking.", he muttered.   
  
"How observant of you. You are too.", she parried, "Is it numb?"   
  
"As much as it will be...", his eyes slipped open as she picked up an offensive looking tool, "I hope that's sterile..."   
  
"Will be in twelve seconds.", she was already at work. 


End file.
